The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-02-12
A PROTECrlONIsT's REPLY, No, 8,

violence 20 the natural hight OF every man
10 trade where he may find IL most adyan-
tAgeous TO himself, But is this so? Is this
q natural Tight7 In the state OF nature
there Is no trade. Trade Is conventional,
not natural. II roots back into, and grows
oHt of treaties and Law which themselves
are the product Of civilization, not nature.
Trade Is permitted urder such rules, and
controlled by such regulations as commun.
tiles conceive 10 he most beneficial 70 the
general whole. Does protection secure
this end? If il does, that 1t does violence
even TO natural right cuts no figure. have
the natural right 10 90 naked. Ii Is not
only my natural right, but ii is my natural
condition; and the law which forbids me
TO walk abroad in civilized society, without
first being decently clad, does violence to
my natural rights, and 10 yours. What
thenY Why, IT is evident that condition
of highest social good is not always mere
enlargement of natural rights. True, the
highest good OF all is best secured by
guarding the rights of each, not the natui al
but the conventional rights, which view
chiefly the end--the civilized social state.
In my last communication, compared
the manufacturing states with the non.
manufacturing, and asserted that the same
rule holds good between the manufacturing
and non. manufacturing cities Of the same
state. Manufacturing is essential to the
thrift, prosperity, and healthy growth of
cities; the universal effort to secure manu-
featuring by the towns and cities of our
state is recognition of this obvious truth.
Go into the far west; town arises upon
the prairie. 1t prospers and grows upon
surrounding trade. Lots are surveyed and
plated, and held at fabulous figures; build
ing is rushing; trade Is booming; all is
life, and push and prosperity. But soon
other towns spring up around; It's trade Is
cut off buil.ing ceases; stagnation sue
ceeds to enterprise; the town Is already too
large for surrounding trade that is con.
tinually diminishing, property shrinks in
value; lots which sold tor $50 90, now sell
for SOC front foot And collapse is written
across the face Of the place. Thereafter 1t
grows nothing but free trade and moss.
Ask of Its residents the reason, and the
universal reply is, " we have no manufac-
turing" BY and by, successful manufac-
turing industry is established there. The
spirit of enterprise begets enterprise.
Other establishments arise beside It, Pros
perity again returns; former values are re.
stored and attach to all kinds of property.
Now 1t is real prosperity, based upon
manufacturing; 1t has come to stay-not a
fictitious prosperity, based upon trade, that
comes to go. The value OF all kinds of
property within reach of its influence are
increased. And this is the value of manu-
featuring a resulting value; a stimulating
value a leaven of national life and nation.
al prosperity that nothing else can give,
compared with which the theory that YOU
have "the natural right to buy where you
can buy the cheapest, and sell where you
can sell for most burns as burns the
taper in the full blaze of the sun.
The trade of Chicago is, apparently, nat
ural. 1t Is colossal; but the growth Of
Chicago, even, is due much more to her
manufactures than 20 her trade. Her two
hundred and fifty millions of annually
manufactured products represent more of
life, and thrift, and vitality, than does all
the trade that passes through dozen cities
Of her size. And this In turn arouSes
thrift, and emulation, and enterprise every
where, adds value to all the property within
and without the city, to railroads, to other
manufacturing centers, to everything
creates a national wealth, beside which the
mere temporary profits given by protection
to the manufactures absolutely disappear
It is this resulting wealth-wealth that is
created in the hands of others that is be
slowed upon the community AT large; this
national PROSPERITY, that results from pro.
lection and renders il so valuable, so nee.
essary, 80 essential.
The bonus given by towns TO secure
manufacturing, is some such inducement
as protection gives to secure manufacturing
In the nation at large. All towns, and
cities, and nations, are indebted TO protec-
ton for their manufactures. America,
France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and
even England herself, all reached indus
trial prosperity through protection. Eng
land protected her manufacturing until
her manufacturers themselves discovered
that she could levy more tribute upon the
nations through free trade-protected her,
self until her manufacturers became
wealthy, and with their abundance of raw
material and cheap labor, demanded free
trade. But she reached her present indus.
trial supremacy, as did the rest, through q
system of judicious protection, and then,
and not till then, she, like Young Ambition,
kicked the ladder down by which she did
ascend.
In view of this fact, what force is there